Bluebells Reflections by Lindsay Bennett-Thompson
When writing a play with Blackpool as its thematic backbone it’s difficult not to fall into the potholes of stereotype, nostalgia or poverty porn. Setting a play in a town celebrated for its legacy which has been scraped over the coals in recent years would have been easy to dip my ink into its fall from grace.
Having grown up in Blackpool I’ve always known my perception of the town is very different to how it is often portrayed. It IS the prom queen with smeared lipstick but that’s what makes it home.
But the story I wanted to tell was not cemented in the long-told tales about Stags and Hens, the ‘Good old Days’ and that time Jimi Hendrix played here. Instead, I wanted to concentrate on the heart of what makes it the formidable underdog– the people.
For years I’ve watched the volunteer litter pickers trekking across the Golden Mile and have always been fascinated by their seemingly altruistic motivation. What makes people freely contribute their time to a cause that has no thanks, no payment, no recognition?
Bluebells and Dirty Nappies follows two of these volunteers who begin their journey as strangers. Delving into their own ‘call to action’ and just what keeps them moving forward. A two-hander following Norma – a Sandgrownian with tenacious pride and hope. And Chrissa – a young woman returning to a place she used to call home, but the key no longer fits in the door.
Following a national callout for actors and an incredible response, I was delighted to finally meet everyone in the room on the first day of rehearsals. With Wendy Patterson (Norma), Lauren Nicole Mayes (Chrissa) and Melanie Whitehead (Director) the room already felt creative. A powerful collaboration of women who had questions and ideas and from the first day I could already feel the first breaths of life of these characters jump from the page. The theatre space of The Old Electric also felt serendipitous, with its high-raked seating and balconies, which twins the piers the play is set left me with a candy floss glow of excitement.
Bluebells and Dirty Nappies is my first full-length play and I am honoured to have the opportunity to collaborate, play and dissect alongside such an incredible group of women. It’s currently at the start of its exciting journey – all I ask is that it sends me a postcard.
Book your tickets to see her show Saturday 27 July at 7pm here.